Evaluation of Perspectives Among Elderly Patients and Their Relatives in Palliative Care Centers in Istanbul

Abstract

In Turkey, there are not many studies on palliative care and its centers especially for the elderly. In this study, the perspectives of elderly patients and their relatives on palliative care centers were evaluated. It is thought that this study will be a guide for palliative care centers especially for the elderly and will be beneficial in terms of the effectiveness of palliative care practices. Questionnaire method was used in the research. The scale consists of questions measuring demographic information and the evaluation of the perspectives of elderly patients and their relatives on palliative care centers, including the care and treatment of the patient, informing the patient's relatives, perception, interest in the patient's relatives, the effect on the emotionality of the patient's relative, the waiting environment of the palliative care unit, and the decision-making process. A palliative care satisfaction scale consisting of 7 sub-dimensions was used. The population of the research consists of elderly patients receiving palliative care in Istanbul and their relatives. The sample consists of service recipients from the public and private sectors. The research was carried out in 2020-2021. A total of 333 people was reached, including elderly patients and their relatives in Istanbul. According to the findings obtained as a result of the analysis; palliative care satisfaction is positive and 78.75%. The highest mean value of 3.52 (88%) belongs to the dimension of concern for the caring for the patient's relatives Then, respectively, 3.30 (82.5%) care and treatment of patients, 3.26 (81.5%) perception, 3.19 (79.75%) giving information to the patient’s relatives 3.00 (75%) affect to emotion situation of patient’s relatives 2.95 (73.75%) and the decision-making process was 2.94 (73.5%) and Palliative care waiting environment. The highest average caring for the patient's relatives and lowest average palliative care waiting environment. It is seen that to increase the perspective towards palliative care centers in a positive way, improvements should be made in the waiting environments of palliative care centers and patients and their relatives should be included more in the decision-making processes.